DOMESTIC violence in the Ribble Valley increased by nearly 100 per cent last year -- and the foot and mouth crisis is believed to be the cause.

Shocked workers at the Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Domestic Violence Outreach Group said the number of calls they received from distressed Ribble Valley women almost doubled last year, from 180 in 2000 to 338.

Many of the calls were from farmer's wives, who said violent rows with their husbands had erupted in the midst of the foot and mouth outbreak.

Marie, a spokesman for the group, said the stress and pressure of dealing with the outbreak had pushed many farming families to breaking point. She described the increase as frightening and said the group now hoped to establish a special centre in Clitheroe.

"An increase of this size is unprecedented. There is such a stigma attached to domestic violence in areas like the Ribble Valley, which are predominantly middle class or rural but in our experience domestic violence doesn't care who it shakes hands with.

"Many women from the area are asking for help and the feedback we have received is that the foot and mouth crisis is accountable for a large part of the increase. Many of the complainants have been farmers' wives," she said.

The group offers a range of services to domestic violence sufferers, including legal advice and counselling and hopes to establish a centre in the Ribble Valley within a year.

"The stress and pressure that the farming community was under must have been awful. These figures are so frightening that we are now looking at ways of expanding our service in the area. More support is needed for communities enduring prolonged crisis of this kind," she added.

Sylvia Bentley, secretary of the Lancashire branch of the Ladies' National Farmers' Union, who lives in Waddington, near Clitheroe, said she was shocked by the statistics.

"I had heard of one or two upsets during the crisis, but nothing on this scale. The crisis caused incredible hardship. Many farming families lost all their animals, or were isolated because of restricted movement. Many were trapped in their own homes and there was a lot of tension and depression. This is very sad news," she said.

Rodney Bacon, policy adviser for the NFU North West, said he was shocked.

Lancashire Police has recently launched a domestic violence campaign which has resulted in an increase in calls about abuse. The Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Domestic Violence Outreach Group is on 01254 879855.

Farmers in crisis should contact the Rural Stress Network on 01200 427771.